The Changing Seasons
by Ailis Ceana
Summary: His observations had led him to believe that seasonal change was gradual, defined by small moments instead of stark shifts. And those small moments were the steps to a better future. Post-Secret End Life


**_A/N: I needed a break from the angst I was writing, so here came this one shot! Hope you guys like it:) Just a side note, this is not connected in any way to any of my previous fics or series._**

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 _Saeyoung had never been interested in the seasons. For him, months would pass by and he wouldn't notice. His life had always been a mindless game. He would push through with no purpose, not caring if he lived or died, and not doing anything to lean towards one or the other. He had been alone in the world…until now._

 _Now, he could observe how each season worked._

 _Winter…where life was cold and dormant…_

Saeyoung winced as the sound of glass shattered from the living room. He untangled himself from his sheets and rushed out of his room. There were no lights on, but he could see Saeran's form crumpled into a ball on the floor.

"Saeran…" he called quietly. There was no reply, so he flicked on the lights.

His brother's body racked with silent sobs. Saeyoung could now see the broken glass on the ground near the wall where he assumed Saeran had flung it. Carefully, he knelt to the ground, placing a hand on his brother's shoulders. He expected to be shoved away again, but he wasn't.

"I—I—I'm s-sorry," came the broken whispers.

Saeyoung shushed him and gently tugged at his brother's shirt, beckoning him to sit up. After a few coaxing words, Saeran complied, though his body still trembled.

It had been a year since Mint Eye, but Saeran still had his moments. It was difficult for Saeyoung to watch him like this. To see his brother tormented by some unseen voices in his head reminding him of the events that were never his fault to begin with. To be able to do nothing but spout out words he hoped were comforting.

"I feel so cold," Saeran mumbled, his fingers gripping the cloth of his pants. Saeyoung reached behind them grabbing a spare blanket off the couch before tossing it over the both of them.

"Should I turn the heat up?" he asked, although he knew full well that the chill came from panic, not external factors.

Saeran shook his head, pulling the blanket closer to himself. "This is going to end, right?" he rasped. "I don't want to deal with this anymore. I'm so…tired of—"

His words died suddenly on his lips as he frantically tried to stop the tears streaming down his face. Saeyoung inhaled shakily, scooting closer to his brother so their shoulders were touching. Surprisingly, Saeran didn't flinch away.

"Our life seems to be filled with trouble," Saeyoung said. "But we only come out stronger because of it."

"But I feel like I'm dying here," Saeran burst, slamming his fist against his heart. "It's so cold and I can't feel anything but pain!"

The confession threatened to slice Saeyoung's heart in half. He swallowed before speaking again. "You know…during the winter, the trees and plants die. But it's only a process to prepare for the bloom. For you, it means your past self dying…your troubles dying with it. If you can survive it…push through it, something better will sprout up soon."

He rubbed the back of his neck when Saeran didn't respond. "Sorry," he half-laughed. "Was that too sentimental?"

Saeran's mint eyes remained plastered on the ground. His brows furrowed, and Saeyoung could see the battle in his head. Seeing his twin was lost in his own thoughts, but still calm, he made a move to stand, letting his side of the blanket cover Saeran's side.

He was in the doorway of his own room when his brother called him…but not by his name. He turned to look at him, unsure if he heard correctly. "What did you say?"he breathed.

Saeran gave him a soft smile. "I said…thank you…Hyung."

Hyung…he had refused to call Saeyoung that after he was rescued. Tonight was the first night…and Saeyoung took it as a sign. Maybe…just maybe their relationship was mending faster than he thought.

 _Spring…where blooms began to bud…_

Saeyoung thought this new chapter in his life would be marked by big events. But no…it was the little things that he noticed the most. The extra weight on his left hand. The extra shoes near the door. The extra warmth in the bed every morning.

He cherished the moments like this, where his fingers entangled themselves in her soft curls as she slept. The breeze from the window teased his hair, rousing him from his drowsy thoughts. With a soft sigh, he slid both arms around MC's waist, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

His wife let out a string of incoherent complaints before falling silent once more. Saeyoung pressed a trail of soft kisses across her shoulder until she turned, her bleary eyes gazing up at him.

"Good morning," he smiled, shifting so he hovered over her.

Her pink lips twitched upwards. Her cool finger tips brushed against his cheek, sending butterflies to his stomach. She hummed quietly before turning into him, her face disappearing into his chest.

"No, it's time to wake up," he said, although he found himself laying back down onto his pillow.

"But it's so comfy," she pouted, her arms sliding around his middle and her legs wrapping around his own.

He closed his eyes, feeling sleep once again taking hold of him in the comfort of her embrace. He was rudely jolted awake when something fell on his forehead. He picked it off with his fingers. It took him a few moments to realize it was one of his old glow in the dark stars that he used to put on his ceilings.

He let out a chuckle. MC slowly sat up, a small pout resting on her lips from being awakened. She softened when she saw what he was holding. "I thought you said you took them all off," she said.

"I did," he said, sitting upright with her.

"Why?" she asked, taking it from him and flipping it around in her fingers.

He lifted his gaze to her. "Because you became my galaxy."

Pink dusted her cheeks as she ducked her head. "You sure it's not because they kept falling off?"

He lazily drew circles on her knee. "I'm serious," he said. "The stars used to be my comfort in the night…something soft and gentle, yet bright." He tugged on a strand of her hair. "Then you came along. You were that light in my darkness, unfolding slowly, right here." He brought her hand to his chest.

She leaned forward, her lips grazing against his, and Saeyoung felt it again. The love that changed him…nothing loud and obnoxious, but small and gradual, like the first buds of spring. That's what made it so beautiful in the first place.

 _Summer…where everything was bright and spirited…_

The bitter taste of coffee and the smell of lavender shampoo filled his senses. Her fingers tangled in his hair pulling him closer as her mouth moved against his own in a desperate kiss. His own hands pressed against her waist as he pushed her back against the counter.

It came out of nowhere, really. They were drinking their morning coffee and one small kiss led to several deep ones. He loved it…Normality changing into a special moment within a blink of an eye. There was warmth in the routine of every day, but sometimes bursts of passion created hot, fiery explosions of beauty forever branded into one's memory.

"Do you really have to do that here?"

Saeran's voice made the couple jump apart. MC pressed a hand against Saeyoung's chest, pushing him away so she could properly stand.

Saeyoung self-consciously rubbed his thumb against his tingling lips. "Didn't know you came home."

"I was home all morning," Saeran retorted, stepping past them to reach into the fridge.

MC cleared her throat, absentmindedly twisting her wedding ring. "Breakfast is almost ready, by the way."

"What did you make?" he asked.

She pursed her lips at the uncooked batter in a bowl. "Um, nothing yet."

Saeran rolled his eyes and grabbed some cereal. "Good. With the way you two were going, the place could've burned down and you wouldn't have noticed."

Saeyoung didn't miss the slight smirk on his brother's face when MC playfully slapped his shoulder. It made his heart swell to see them interacting in such a normal way.

"Actually," Saeran hesitated, pouring the cereal into a bowl. "I wanted to ask you something. Both of you."

MC and Saeyoung exchanged worried glances. Saeran was serious…sometimes sarcastic, but never nervous. "What is it?" Saeyoung said.

Saeran looked up, his mint eyes meeting Saeyoung's golden ones. A mixture of determination and fear flickered behind them. "I want to go somewhere with you. I mean…like a family. You know how they have those vacations and stuff?"

Saeyoung's mouth fell agape. Did Saeran just call them…family?

It was MC that spoke first. "O-of course. Um, when?"

"Today," Saeyoung blurted. The other two snapped their heads to stare at him.

"Honey, we can't just jump in the car and go today," MC said. She glanced at Saeran. "Can we?"

The younger twin gave him a grin…an actual toothy grin reaching all the way to his eyes. "I have a bag packed for emergencies anyway. So, I'm good."

"It shouldn't take too long to pack for a week," Saeyoung said. "We have essentials in one of the cars, and…none of us are working this week. What else do we need?"

MC glanced between them before letting out a small laugh. "Alright, then. I'll throw some clothes in a suite case."

She rushed out of the kitchen, leaving Saeran and Saeyoung alone.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Saeran said, that grin still on his face. "I thought you guys might say no ….this is—I don't know-thrilling? I don't even know where we'll end up going."

Saeyoung gave him a soft smile, ruffling his hair a bit. When they were younger, any outing was spontaneous…simply due to the fact that it was the only way to safely leave the house. But now…he wanted to show Saeran that impromptu trips can blossom out of something good. He just hoped that smile would stay on his brother's face throughout the journey.

A few minutes later, MC returned with two suitcases. "I have my stuff, and yours was already packed from your last business trip. Are we ready?"

"Choi family vacation starts now," Saeyoung announced, leading them both to the car.

Family…sometimes, he couldn't believe it. But it was true. This was reality. And he couldn't help but feel that this spur of the moment road trip was symbolic of their new beginning together.

 _Fall…where transitions take place…_

Saeyoung stuffed his hands in his pocket as he looked around his now empty apartment. The red walls seemed louder now that the furniture was emptied into a moving truck. He let his fingers brush against the scratches in the wall left by his old computer desk. The days where he mindlessly hacked for the agency seemed so long ago, even though it wasn't.

But his life was different now. It was a new era for him.

"Saeyoung, are you okay?"

He exhaled sharply and turned to MC, standing in the doorway. "Yeah," he said. "I was just thinking."

She took a few steps forward, reaching out for his hands. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Very sure," he said, kissing her hand. "It's a good change for Saeran to be around people and get used to the idea of neighbors. Besides, we'll need the extra rooms in the new house." His hand wandered down to her swollen stomach.

"As long as you don't put caution tape in the baby's room," she chuckled, gesturing to the obnoxious pattern lining his computer room. He inwardly cringed at his own decorating choices. He wasn't sure why he thought that was a good idea.

"I promise," he laughed.

They turned to the door when they heard footsteps. Saeran had come in from outside, though he didn't seem to be seeking them out. He stood in the middle of the living room and took a few deep breaths.

"You ready?" Saeyoung called from the top of the small set of stairs.

Saeran didn't look up at him, but he nodded. "This place has some bad memories," he admitted. "But there were a lot of good ones too, I guess."

"You guess?" MC raised a brow. They joined him in the empty room.

The younger twin smirked. "Okay, there were definitely more than ten."

A lump suddenly formed in Saeyoung's throat and he pulled both of them into his arms. "I'm so thankful for you two, you know that?"

"Don't get sentimental now, idiot," Saeran grumbled, disentangling himself from his brother's grip. He shook his head when he was finally free. "We're just changing living spaces." He glanced at MC's belly. "And adding a member…no big deal. Let's hurry and get in the car. The van's are ready."

Saeyoung watched as he disappeared through the front door. "One day, he's going to say something so sappy that he'll have to take back every disgruntled comment," he said, though an air of fondness escaped his feigned annoyance.

MC chuckled and kissed his cheek. "But he is right. It's time to go."

"I'll be there in a sec," Saeyoung said. He waited until she had left before looking up at the ceiling. "Hey, Gate, are you there?"

There were a few buzzing sounds before the robot voice echoed over him. "Agent 707…hello."

"I know it's been awhile," he said. "But…things are changing. I'm afraid this place will be abandoned. The secrets that are held here…I can't carry with me to my new home."

"Understood," the gate chimed. "Should I perform operation 606?"

"Yes," Saeyoung said, making his way to the door. "Gate, execute operation 606."

"Understood. All files stored will be destroyed. All programs will be deleted. System reset beginning now."

He shut the door behind him before joining his wife and brother. Everything that happened in that bunker…everything from the security system…files from his agency days…everything would be wiped. It was official. Agent 707 would no longer exist on the planet.

 _He was free now. Liberated from all the traces of his once meaningless life. Two people entered his grey world of binary numbers and made it burst into brilliant color. Now, he saw how time moved, sometimes fast…sometimes slow. He was aware of the seasons…how they transitioned from one to next—sometimes smoothly, sometimes abruptly._

 _His observations had led him to believe that seasonal change was gradual, defined by small moments instead of stark shifts. And those small moments were the steps to a better future._

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 _ **A/N: Sorry...I guess I just felt randomly fluffy today. Hope you liked it! Let me know what you thought:)**_


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